4 Takeaways from Jeff Burnstein’s WGN Radio Interview: Robotics and AI Will Thrive with a Skilled Workforce

A3 President Jeff Burnstein joined John Hansen of Your Money Matters from WGN Radio on Monday evening to discuss the ways in which businesses are taking advantage of robotics and AI. During the interview they covered how companies from a multitude of industries with varying budgets can adopt these rapidly evolving automation technologies to create safer workplaces while addressing labor shortages.

Here are four highlights from what Burnstein shared with the audience. You can listen to the full interview here.

1. Industries are rapidly embracing automation technology.

While the automotive industry stands out as an early adopter of robotics, virtually all industries, from agriculture and construction to food and retail, are seeking out automation solutions for their processes.

The potential benefits of adopting robotics, machine vision, and AI tools can easily be seen in the healthcare space. These technologies have proven pivotal tools for researchers and doctors to find cures for rare diseases, develop treatment plans, and more.

2. Adopting these technologies is easier and more cost effective than ever for businesses small and large.

In the early days of robotics, the costs were so high that only big companies were able to invest in them. This is no longer the case — costs have come down and new avenues have become available to finance these expenditures. The robots-as-a-service (RaaS) model reduces the upfront investment and risks by allowing companies to lease the equipment.

Ease of use has also allowed businesses of all sizes to explore their automation possibilities. With user-friendly tools and platforms, almost any organization can take advantage of these technologies in a way that wasn’t available before.

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3. Robots and AI aren’t taking our jobs.

Fear of the unknown may be common when it comes to robotics and AI, so understanding how they blend with and improve upon traditional processes is important.

Throughout history, technology innovations have led to new and reimagined job opportunities. Adopting automation tools can create new jobs with improved safety and better pay. Automation does the dull, dangerous, and dirty work that people don’t want to, and shouldn’t have to, perform.

Likewise, integrating these tools into the workplace helps to address growing labor shortages. When people can utilize these technologies in their roles, it also allows them to do more meaningful work.

4. Workforce development is key to successful adoption of automation.

An investment in upskilling is necessary for company’s whose employees pivot from this manual work to a role that embraces technology. Workforce development is a crucial undertaking in order to implement automation successfully.

To see these technologies in action, especially the AGVs and collaborative robots Burnstein mentioned in the interview, join us at Automate, the largest robotics and automation event in the Americas. Hosted by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), this free trade show will be held in Detroit from May 12–15. Register for free now.